It is Monday in Monte Carlo and José "Pepe" Reina is not exactly brimming with confidence as he walks the red carpet on Avenue Princess Grace for a poker tournament against world champions and celebrities far more established on the circuit than he. "I usually play against friends. I'll last about 10 minutes in this company," says the Spain international. He is beaten 95 minutes later, but with the scalps of two poker professionals to his credit. A day with the highrollers over, it is back to Liverpool and the company where he genuinely belongs.

Four seasons have almost passed since Reina swapped Estadio El Madrigal, Villarreal, for Anfield, sufficient time for the commanding goalkeeper to identify with his adopted city and the hunger that drives his club. The trappings of the job keep coming, from the absolute faith of the Kop to this week's invitation to the PokerStars Ante Up For Africa Charity Tournament, held to raise funds for the humanitarian mission in Darfur and where Reina joined Boris Becker, Sébastien Chabal, Nico Rosberg and the rapper Nelly among others in Monaco. Such is life. The object of the job, however, remains as fixed as the day he joined – the Premier League, and a prize so close yet so tantalisingly out of reach that Rafael Benítez and his players sound robotic whenever it is mentioned.

"We will keep fighting until the very end. You never know what might happen in football and Manchester United can still make mistakes, so we have to be ready," he insists. "We are Liverpool and we don't give up." Reina is particularly fond of that truism. He championed Liverpool's indefatigability immediately after their 3-1 home defeat by Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, again ahead of the return – "We were brilliant that night" – and following the 4–4 draw with Arsenal that improved United's claim to a third successive league title. Yet it is not a sentiment Reina expresses on auto-pilot. Liverpool may be more Princes Dock than Princess Grace, but therein rests its appeal for the 26-year-old from Madrid.

"I know I've said that before but I've played for Barcelona and Villarreal and I've never known anything like it in my career," Reina adds. "It's the belief of the people, the city and the fans; they all drive you on. I've been at Liverpool four seasons now and once you understand how much Liverpool means to the people then as a player you know you have to give everything for them. People might think that every team must have that spirit, but it is not that easy. It is not something you can switch on, it is something that builds itself over a long time and we have it at Liverpool because of the people around us, the city and the way people are in the city. It is a city of workers and people who stick together and Liverpool have to represent the city in that respect. You cannot help but become involved in it."

Reina is the joker in the squad at Liverpool and for Spain, his improvised singing live on television the highlight of his nation's European Championship celebrations last summer. However, he does not treat the aspirations of the workers lightly. "I understand exactly what the people expect from us," he says. "The league title is the dream and it is still alive for us. After 19 years without winning the league it has become an obsession and we still have hope we can do it this year but it is not easy. The fact that Liverpool haven't won the league for 19 years shows how difficult the competition is to win. We had a great start to the season but we dipped in January, when we had the weak period that happens to every team at some point, and that cost us first place in the race. If we don't win the league we would have to say that January cost us the title."

January was also when Benítez started his personal attack on Sir Alex Ferguson and when the future of Robbie Keane plagued the manager's every move, but Reina insists the Liverpool squad remain fully supportive of their leader's decision to go public with his long-held list of grievances – or "facts" – against the United manager. "The players do speak about it and we believe that Rafa is fighting for the team and nothing else," he says. "We are not interested in picking fights with other clubs but you have to defend yourself at times and that is exactly what Rafa has been doing. All the players are right behind him on this."

The feeling is mutual. Benítez recently described his £6m signing as the "complete modern goalkeeper", given Reina's ability not only to make inspired saves and to dominate his area, but to intercept counter-attacks and launch many of his own. A modern sweeper, if you will. Against Aston Villa in March Reina broke one of Ray Clemence's Liverpool records, reaching a century of clean sheets in 197 appearances for the club, three games fewer than his illustrious predecessor. "I am happy to be in Liverpool's history books but that is secondary to me," he claims. "The only thing we are fighting for now is the title."

The support of his father, the former Barcelona and Atlético Madrid goalkeeper, Miguel Reina, is of paramount importance to Reina, and the reason he chose this profession and to leave home aged 13 when offered a place in Barcelona's youth system. His team-mate from the academy, Mikel Arteta, remains a close friend to this day. For years the father could not bear to watch the son at work, and Miguel had to be persuaded to go to Athens for the 2007 Champions League final. Only last week, however, the ultimate compliment for Reina arrived in a phone call from Spain.

"My father called the other day to say that he isn't nervous when he watches my games any more. That is a big thing for him," he admits. "He doesn't worry for me if I make a mistake any more because he knows that I am a solid goalkeeper with a good future. It wasn't like that at the start of my career and it wasn't easy for him then. We both felt I couldn't make a mistake at Barcelona because I was playing for my future and for years he couldn't watch some of my games because it messed with his head but he comes to Liverpool often now. He can relate to everything I am going through at every moment of the season and he is very proud of me."

And what of the ultimate goal for Liverpool, the club's 19th league title and the end of a wait that stretches back to 1990 as United, of all teams, close in on their record of 18 championships? Reina is unequivocal. "Whatever happens this season we will learn from our mistakes and have better experience for the title race next year," he insists. "Obviously it will be fantastic if we win the title this season and we still believe we can do it but if not we will come back even stronger next season. We have the experience and the belief that we can win this league now."

José Reina was playing at the Ante Up For Africa Charity Poker Tournament ahead of the PokerStars European Tour Grand Final in Monte Carlo